Poems (Gifford)/The Foundering of the "Elbe"
THE FOUNDERING OF THE "ELBE,"Through Collision with the "Crathie,", 50 Miles fromLowestoft, 5.40 A.M., Januwary 30th, 1895.
Adown the bleak North Sea the vessel steamed
In intense darkness, 'mid the blinding snow,
On that cold, wild, rough morn, ere daylight dawned.
A sharp collision, dire disaster came,
A sudden crash, a rude awaking, swift
Confusion, rapid hurrying on deck,
Hoarse shouts, shrill shrieks, awed silences, report
Of water inrush, awful signs of doom,
Appalling horror, consternation great,
Deep desperation, rocket-firing quick,
Short orders, prompt obedience, and a rush
For lowering boats.
For lowering boats.One swamped at once,
One cleared the vessel with a living freight,
But ne'er was heard of, never seen again,
One only weathered the fierce elements,
And bore just twenty of four hundred lives
To safety, and those other fated ones
In few brief moments passed unto their death,
As sank the huge wreck in that seething sea.
In intense darkness, 'mid the blinding snow,
On that cold, wild, rough morn, ere daylight dawned.
A sharp collision, dire disaster came,
A sudden crash, a rude awaking, swift
Confusion, rapid hurrying on deck,
Hoarse shouts, shrill shrieks, awed silences, report
Of water inrush, awful signs of doom,
Appalling horror, consternation great,
Deep desperation, rocket-firing quick,
Short orders, prompt obedience, and a rush
For lowering boats.
For lowering boats.One swamped at once,
One cleared the vessel with a living freight,
But ne'er was heard of, never seen again,
One only weathered the fierce elements,
And bore just twenty of four hundred lives
To safety, and those other fated ones
In few brief moments passed unto their death,
As sank the huge wreck in that seething sea.
Oh, who shall picture, who shall ever tell
The hurried agonies of heart and mind
Crowded into those moments of suspense,
And the succeeding quietude beneath
The surging surface of that dark abyss?
The hurried agonies of heart and mind
Crowded into those moments of suspense,
And the succeeding quietude beneath
The surging surface of that dark abyss?
And who shall picture, who shall ever tell,
Though twenty lived and told, oh, who shall tell
The mingled feelings of the castaways
Tossed on the boisterous, stormy, threatening waves,
But a mere speck on the vast, heaving deep!
On, on they fought with almost certain death,
Destitute, desolate, exhausted, drenched,
Ice-coated, all but frozen, on they fought,
Hoping, despairing, rowing, signalling,
Labouring incessantly as best they might
To free their little craft from the cold brine
That dashed and poured upon them, and well nigh
Immersed the one frail woman that it held
Bearing with courage strong her rare distress.
Though twenty lived and told, oh, who shall tell
The mingled feelings of the castaways
Tossed on the boisterous, stormy, threatening waves,
But a mere speck on the vast, heaving deep!
On, on they fought with almost certain death,
Destitute, desolate, exhausted, drenched,
Ice-coated, all but frozen, on they fought,
Hoping, despairing, rowing, signalling,
Labouring incessantly as best they might
To free their little craft from the cold brine
That dashed and poured upon them, and well nigh
Immersed the one frail woman that it held
Bearing with courage strong her rare distress.
At length, at length, after long, weary hours,
That tiny speck is sighted ere too late,
And the brave skipper and the worthy crew
Of the smack "Wildflower" hasten to their aid.
Through difficulty and through danger great,
Those noble Englishmen upheld their fame,
Hauled to the boat, and with strong effort drew
The beaten foreigners aboard their own,
Gave kind relief, and lively sympathy,
And generous care to those unhappy waifs;
Then vigorously they made at once for land,
Until, as evening ended that sad day,
They reached the safe, calm, friendly sheltering
Of Lowestoft harbour and its Sailors' Home.
That tiny speck is sighted ere too late,
And the brave skipper and the worthy crew
Of the smack "Wildflower" hasten to their aid.
Through difficulty and through danger great,
Those noble Englishmen upheld their fame,
Hauled to the boat, and with strong effort drew
The beaten foreigners aboard their own,
Gave kind relief, and lively sympathy,
And generous care to those unhappy waifs;
Then vigorously they made at once for land,
Until, as evening ended that sad day,
They reached the safe, calm, friendly sheltering
Of Lowestoft harbour and its Sailors' Home.